Council of Agriculture Minister Chen Bao-ji (陳保基) again drew fire from the public with his answer during a legislative session on Monday when he was asked about the soaring price of zongzi (粽子) — glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves that are traditionally consumed during the Dragon Boat Festival.
Chen suggested that, rather than having zongzi, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Huang Chao-shun (黃昭順), who posed the question, should try other dishes, such as eggplant, which is also traditionally served during the holiday.
Chen’s answer brings to mind an anecdote about the French queen Marie Antoinette who, when she heard that protesters were complaining that they did not have bread to eat, was said to have responded: “Let them eat cake.”
The public does not need a minister to lecture them about how to avoid costly food items. However, Chen’s answer reveals an even more serious problem: Either he did not understand the lawmaker’s point — ie, the soaring prices of agricultural products — or he does not have a solution to the problem.
This is not Chen’s first flippant remark about rising prices.
Earlier this year, when the price of peanuts surged, the minister suggested that people avoid using powdered peanut — a key ingredient — when making spring rolls.
It may not be as worrisome if Chen is the only government official who is not in tune with public concerns and sentiment, but it seems that this disconnect with the public applies to many other officials — including President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九).
Two years ago, when Ma attended a student forum at National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, a student told the president that because of inflation, the contents of boxed meals have shrunk, so he was often hungry even after eating one.
Ma replied: “So, did you buy a second one?”
Meanwhile, presidential adviser and former premier Sean Chen (陳?), addressing public concern over cross-strait relations, said on Monday that many Taiwanese are worried about China’s intentions because they have read too many fairy tales and have come to view “big” as “evil.”
He cited Jack and the Beanstalk and Little Red Riding Hood as examples, saying that since the giant in the first story and the big, bad wolf in the second one are both portrayed as negative figures, Taiwanese who grew up reading these fairy tales would naturally think that China, as a big country, is evil.
Sadly, Sean Chen seems to have missed the point: Most people are wary of China not because of its size, but because of a lack of mutual trust across the Taiwan Strait, which stems from Beijing’s refusal to give up its goal of annexing Taiwan and its more than 1,000 missiles targeting the nation.
In a democracy, public will is an important reference point in the government’s decisionmaking process. A government that is not in tune with the public and does not understand their real concerns is a government in crisis.
It is not surprising that Ma has such a low approval rating.
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